a new day!

so it's taken a few years, but i think i'm finally figuring out this hormone thing. i always thought that PMS was right before the menstrual cycle, but it's actually about a week before, with a week of normalcy in between. or at least that how it is for me. for three days i was so stressed, so full of tension and anxiety, but then i woke up this morning and felt like a new person. thank you, Jesus! i didn't think i could stand too much more of myself like that. at least now i feel a little but more human.

Brian has been taking the kids to school lately, which has been nice for both of us. it helps him get out the door on time, and gives me more time to clean up after the helter-skelter of our morning routine. i work at the church on Thursdays. this morning i decided to bike there. what a great day for being outside! i packed up my lesson in my back pack and cruised on down the road. at least i was cruising until i came to some hills. being a marathoner doesn't mean you are in shape for every sport. my legs felt like jello trying to bike up those little inclines.

we had a very small group in my nursery class today. i guess there were a lot of folks out sick. five kids are so much easier to deal with than twelve. one of the workers in the infant nursery is the woman named Reyes. she has been hired by the church to do childcare for different activities over the years though she doesn't attend Redeemer. we talk a lot. she's a decade or so older than me and calls me Baby Girl, which makes me smile inside. she has three kids and has been divorced and is remarried. she's married to an "undocumented worker" or illegal alien. when you meet real people that carry those titles it kind of makes all those issues a little muddy. suddenly they aren't so black and white. anyways, Reyes is a great woman, and i don't know her whole story or why her husband doesn't seek citizenship, but i'm glad to know her.

me and my jelly-like legs biked home and i got in a little time of house cleaning. i dropped in on the thrift store and picked up some clothes for the kids and a handful of books. when i went to pick up the kids i saw William and one if his classmates and his teacher engaged in a conversation. this is rather monumental because i have never seen William in a conversation with anyone at school. his teacher would ask a question and William would answer yes or no. this is huge.

i took John to basketball practice in the evening. we made up knock-knock jokes all the way there. i worked out in the fitness center while he practiced.

we sent out a fundraising letter yesterday in our attempt to help the Zamora family. already we have more than $300 in pledges. this is just a grassroots kind of thing, so Brian and i will collect the donations, cash them in and give them the money. i don't think they can get penalized by such donations because i doubt they pay taxes. there was concern that they could lose some of their medicaid benefits if they were given money. they are currently in San Antonio where Ricky is receiving treatments.

i've been commissioned to do a cake for Keegan's little sister, Jules' birthday on Monday. this should be fun since i don't get many opportunities to do girl cakes.

i started writing this post yesterday. now it's Friday morning and i'm supposed to be up moving, but i've been plumped up on my pillows trying to catch up on my Bible reading.

i'll be working in the library at Maplewood this morning with this sweet lady, Mrs. Cobb~



so now i must bid adieu, and get my kiddies ready for school.